Sensor assembly for autonomous vehicles

Abstract

A sensor assembly for autonomous vehicles includes a side mirror assembly configured to mount to a vehicle. The side mirror assembly includes a first camera having a field of view in a direction opposite a direction of forward travel of the vehicle; a second camera having a field of view in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle; and a third camera having a field of view in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of forward travel of the vehicle. The first camera, the second camera, and the third camera are oriented to provide, in combination with a fourth camera configured to be mounted on a roof of the vehicle, an uninterrupted camera field of view from the direction of forward travel of the vehicle to a direction opposite the direction of forward travel of the vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
 a tractor unit carriage having a right side and a left side; and 
 a sensor system comprising a left sensor assembly attached by an arm and projected outward from the left side of the tractor unit carriage and a right sensor assembly attached by an arm and projected outward from the right side of the tractor unit carriage; 
 each sensor assembly having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rearward portion, the sensor assembly having a vertical axis extending from the upper portion to the lower portion, a side view mirror coupled to the sensor assembly, and a plurality of sensors housed in the sensor assembly including at least one of each of a camera, a radar, and a lidar, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors extends vertically above the side view mirror of the sensor assembly and at least one of the plurality of sensors is positioned vertically below the arm; 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors has a field of view directed in a direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle and at least one of the plurality of sensors has a field of view in a direction opposite the direction of travel, 
 wherein the at least one camera is a forward facing camera having a center of a field of view forward of the tractor unit carriage and the at least one lidar is a forward facing lidar having a center of a field of view forward of the tractor unit carriage, 
 wherein a combined field of view of the at least one lidar from each sensor assembly fully encompasses a combined field of view of the at least one camera from each sensor assembly, 
 wherein the sensor assembly has a sensor assembly combined field of view defined by a field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the left sensor assembly and of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the right sensor assembly, the field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the left sensor assembly is less than 360 degrees, and the field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the right sensor assembly is less than 360 degrees, and 
 wherein the sensor assembly combined field of view provides a field of view around the autonomous vehicle of 360 degrees at a diameter of about 100 meters. 
 
     
     
       2. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the arm of one sensor assembly is substantially perpendicular to the side of the tractor unit carriage. 
     
     
       3. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a second mirror coupled to a rear facing side of the sensor assembly below the side view mirror. 
     
     
       4. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a lidar is positioned at the lower portion of the sensor assembly. 
     
     
       5. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each arm includes a beam assembly and a mounting assembly; the beam assembly has a longitudinal axis extending from the mounting assembly to the sensor assembly, the longitudinal axis of the beam assembly is substantially perpendicular to the respective side of the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the vertical axis of the sensor assembly is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm. 
     
     
       7. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sensor assembly and the longitudinal axis of the beam assembly. 
     
     
       8. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor assembly is projected outward from the autonomous vehicle at a distance between 50 mm and 650 mm. 
     
     
       9. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a first sensor has a field of view in a direction in substantially the direction of travel and a first sensor type of either a lidar, camera or radar; and a second sensor has a field of view in a direction substantially opposite of the direction of travel and a second sensor type of either a lidar, camera or radar that is different than the first sensor type. 
     
     
       10. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors extends vertically above the upper portion of the sensor assembly. 
     
     
       11. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
 a tractor unit carriage having a right side and a left side; and 
 a sensor system comprising a left sensor assembly attached by an arm and projected outward from the left side of the tractor unit carriage and a right sensor assembly attached by an arm and projected outward from the right side of the tractor unit carriage; 
 each sensor assembly having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rearward portion, the sensor assembly having a vertical axis extending from the upper portion to the lower portion, a side view mirror coupled to the sensor assembly, and a plurality of sensors housed in the sensor assembly including at least one of each of a camera, a radar, and a lidar, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors extends vertically above the side view mirror of the sensor assembly and at least one of the plurality of sensors is positioned vertically below the arm; 
 wherein the plurality of sensors has a field of view around the autonomous vehicle of 360 degrees, 
 wherein the at least one camera is a forward facing camera having a center of a field of view forward of the tractor unit carriage and the at least one lidar is a forward facing lidar having a center of a field of view forward of the tractor unit carriage, 
 wherein a combined field of view of the at least one lidar from each sensor assembly fully encompasses a combined field of view of the at least one camera from each sensor assembly, 
 wherein the sensor assembly has a sensor assembly combined field of view defined by a field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the left sensor assembly and of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the right sensor assembly, the field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the left sensor assembly is less than 360 degrees, and the field of view of each of the at least one camera, the at least one radar, and the at least one lidar of the right sensor assembly is less than 360 degrees, and 
 wherein the sensor assembly combined field of view provides a field of view around the autonomous vehicle of 360 degrees at a diameter of about 100 meters. 
 
     
     
       12. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the arm of one sensor assembly is substantially perpendicular to the side of the tractor unit carriage. 
     
     
       13. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising a second mirror coupled to a rear facing side of the sensor assembly below the side view mirror. 
     
     
       14. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein a lidar is positioned at the lower portion of the sensor assembly. 
     
     
       15. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein each arm includes a beam assembly and a mounting assembly; the beam assembly has a longitudinal axis extending from the mounting assembly to the sensor assembly, the longitudinal axis of the beam assembly is substantially perpendicular to the respective side of the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the vertical axis of the sensor assembly is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm. 
     
     
       17. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein a direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of the sensor assembly and the longitudinal axis of the beam assembly. 
     
     
       18. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor assembly is projected outward from the autonomous vehicle at a distance between 50 mm and 650 mm. 
     
     
       19. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein a first sensor has a field of view in a direction in substantially a direction of travel and a first sensor type of either a lidar, camera or radar; and a second sensor has a field of view in a direction substantially opposite of the direction of travel and a second sensor type of either a lidar, camera or radar that is different than the first sensor type. 
     
     
       20. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor assembly combined field of view provides a field of view around the autonomous vehicle of 360 degrees at a diameter of about 400 meters. 
     
     
       21. The autonomous vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors extends vertically above the upper portion of the sensor assembly.